Lightning kills at least 90

Lightning kills at least 85 persons

PATNA (AP):

Lightning has killed 74 persons, mostly farm labourers working in fields, across

eastern and northern India over the past 24 hours, officials said yesterday.

A majority of the deaths occurred in the eastern state of Bihar, where 57 people died after being struck by lightning, a state official said. At least 24 others were injured when thunderstorms and monsoon rains lashed 14 districts of the state.

Ten people were killed by lightning in neighbouring Jharkhand state, 17 in northern Uttar Pradesh state, and another in Maharashtra, police said.

Bihar disaster management official Vyasji said scores of cattle also perished in the state after being struck by lightning.

The dead included at least eight shepherds watching their sheep, said Vyasji, who uses only one name. He told reporters that he expected the death toll to go up as reports come in from remote districts of the state.

Lightning strikes are common during India's monsoon season, which runs from June to September. However, the recent toll is unusually high.